Essex man arrested in officer's shooting

Baltimore County police have arrested an 18-year-old Essex man, charging him with the attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of an off-duty police officer.

Michael Jabateh, 18, of the 100 block of Commodore Drive, faces eight charges and is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center in connection with the shooting of Officer Moorer on Dec. 9 outside an Overlea party. Officials did not release Moorer's first name.

Jabateh was arrested on Thursday after police conducted a surveillance operation in the 100 block of Orville Road in Essex. As police attempted to apprehend Jabateh, he ran from them, dropping a handgun, officers said. But police caught him after a brief chase and linked the gun to the shooting of the officer.

Moorer was shot after he stopped near the intersection of Dale Avenue and Danville Road when he encountered a large group of people blocking the street and attempted to drive past, police said. Officers were first called to Dale and Kenwood avenues at about 3:30 a.m. Dec. 9, for a large crowd and later found the wounded officer nearby.

In their investigation, detectives learned that a fight erupted inside a home in the 700 block of Dale Ave. during a party, and about 75 to 100 people left the house. When the off-duty officer beeped his horn to get the crowd to move out of the road, someone yelled that the man in the car had a gun, and Jabateh fired shots through the officer's vehicle door, police said.

Police have previously said that the officer's weapon was also fired twice.